The research project is concerned with delineating the mechanisms by which methyisobutylxanthine (MeiBu-Xan) promotes the conversion of fibroblasts into adipose cells. To this end studies are concerned with the role of MeiBu-Xan in the induction of fatty acid synthetase, an enzyme whose activity increases 50 fold following the conversion into adipocytes. Studies are also directed towards ascertaining the role of cyclic nucleotides in the conversion process.